Month: February 2015

PWM>FLIR: Control FLIR TAU, TAU2, Quark using PWM (RC Radio)

 

A quick demo, switching between 8 modes using a servo-tester. The TAU640 in this video is set for outdoor use, and does not show the full advantage of Ice&Fire modes inside.

 

 

What you get:

  • A microcontroller on a small PCB (18x33x3mm) with soldering pads. Preprogrammed with 8 different modes as in this video, or up to 10 custom modes (as ordered).
  • The circuit works on 5v, uses less than 10mA.  You can connect it using 3 wires,  just like a servo)
  • The modes are selected using a knob on your transmitter, PWM decide mode, just like a servo position.
  • Serial data, is sent from the device to your FLIR device using one wire – (assuming you have common ground)
  • The common modes in this test video shows 8 modes I’ve found very useful.

What you need:

  • FLIR TAU ,TAU2, or QUARK thermal core.
  • For TAU,  “Wearsaver” helps a lot.  – It offers big soldering pads for connecting to the Hirose 50p connector. RX(pin2)
  • For Quark , you need to connect the serial signal to pin 15 of the Samtec 60 pin – connector. or to the breakout board, if you that.

Connection instructions:

Connect PWM (white wire) from your receiver to pad9 on PWM>FLIR device
Connect “-” (black wire) from your receiver to GND on the PWM>FLIR device
Connect “+” (red wire) from your receiver to VCC on the PWM>FLIR device

Connect pad8 on the device to your RX pad on wear saver, thats solder pad with green ring in the picture below.
Connect ground and +5v to TAU (black and red pads in picture below)

Finally, for information only:composite video out is on the yellow pad, and video ground on the blue pad on the TAU wearsaver.

TAU Wearsaver connection

Default mode configuration is:

1, white hot, no zoom , spatial threshold gain 34d.
2 white hot, 2x zoom, spatial threshold gain 34d.
3 Black Hot, no zoom , spatial threshold gain 34d.
4 Black Hot, 2x zoom, Spatial threshold = 9d
5 Fusion,no zoom, spatial threshold gain 34d.
6 ICE & Fire, no zoom, spatial threshold gain 34d.
7 Rainbow, no zoom, Spatial threshold, Gain = 34d
8 ICE & Fire, no zoom , Spatial threshold 17d

You can output a PWM from an autopilot, controlled by GCS, having any GUI you prefer.  – Or , if  you are will be controlling the PWM directly from a RC radio, you  do not need a rotary knob with steps, it’s perfectly easy to hit desired mode even with smooth knob due to the quick visual change, and equal “distance” between modes.

Buy PWM>FLIR interface ($160)

(Cart will appear below)